Top UCD graduate earns patent, cuddles babies

By Julia Ann Easley Special to The Enterprise

What is typical for Neeraj Senthil of Sunnyvale, is extraordinary.

Between maintaining A-plus grades as a biomedical engineering major, earning a provisional patent and coauthoring a research paper at UC Davis, his weekly activities have included cuddling sick babies at the university’s medical center and teaching math at local schools.

Senthil will be awarded the University Medal as the top graduating senior when thousands celebrate earning a bachelor’s degree at five commencements at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, June 16 to 18. He will receive the medal — for excellence in undergraduate studies, outstanding community service, and the promise of future scholarship and contributions to society — and be awarded a bachelor of science degree at the 9 a.m. ceremony on Saturday, June 17.

“I try,” he said, with characteristic humility. “It’s an attitude with which I approach a lot of things.”

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Science Café looks at nanoparticles

Davis Science Café is back Wednesday, June 14, with “Using Nanoparticles to Stimulate Your Immune System to Fight Cancer,” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at G Street WunderBar, 228 G St. in downtown Davis.

Each month, Professor Jared Shaw with the UC Davis Department of Chemistry hosts the Davis Science Café, featuring scientists who are studying some of today’s cutting edge topics.

This month’s speaker is Prof. Kit Lam from UC Davis departments of biochemistry and molecular medicine, and chemistry, who works on the development and application of combinatorial library methods for basic research and drug discovery including cancer drug development and drug delivery.

The event is free to attend, with complimentary soft drinks courtesy of the UCD College of Letters and Science. Contact Shaw for information at jtshaw@ucdavis.edu or https://twitter.com/ DavisSciCafe1.